‘We’ll never part’: A heartfelt farewell dinner for Vice-Chancellor
It was a night filled with gratitude and nostalgia as more than 400 staff members of CUHK gathered on 18 December to bid adieu to Professor Rocky S. Tuan, who is stepping down as the eighth Vice-Chancellor and President of the University on 7 January.
Professor Tuan delivered his farewell message after the event, held at the Ho Sin Hang Hall of S. H. Ho College, opened with a video showcasing the University’s achievements under his leadership in the past seven years. He said he was proud to have led CUHK to new heights in international rankings after going through many ups and downs during his tenure.
“The past seven years felt like a roller-coaster,” he shared. “I remember the dark days of COVID-19, the most depressing sight was seeing no one on campus as I looked out of the window. But I thank all of you for being there and helping us overcome all the challenges… Whether you are a faculty member, staff from academic or administrative departments, or a frontline worker, I’d like to say a big thank you to each and every one of Team CUHK for your unwavering trust and support.”
Ending his speech citing lyrics from the song Imagine by John Lennon, he said: “All of us in here share the same dream: bringing a bright future for Hong Kong, for the country, Asia and the world. I hope Team CUHK will continue to work together and embrace the spirit of dream chasing and dream making. I hope all of you will go through that process and realise the dream.”
Lina Yan Hau-yee, Chairperson of the CUHK 60th Anniversary Celebration Steering Committee, Ho Che-wah, Choh-Ming Li Professor of Chinese Language and Literature who penned one of the introductions for the Vice-Chancellor’s installation back in 2018, and Dr John Lai Hon-weng, Director of the Office of Co-operative Education Programme then took the stage to share touching anecdotes and cherished memories of their time spent with Professor Tuan.
The event climaxed with Professor Tuan, a baritone, performing four English songs, including Love Me Tender, CU Online (a new version of Sway with his own lyrics to describe how online classes were run during the pandemic), Where or When and My Way. He was then joined by colleagues and Ms Yan to sing together the Cantonese version of The Pearl of the Orient.
As a token of appreciation, staff members prepared a surprise video containing farewell messages from colleagues from various departments. As the joyous evening drew to a close, participants took turns to have group photos taken with the professor to capture the precious moments, before saying goodbye.
